Agata Sumara

Iodine-based contrast agents (ICMs) are crucial substances in medical imaging because of their potent X-ray characteristics and chemical stability. However, their persistence and poor removal in conventional wastewater treatment have led to increasing environmental concern. Although ICMs exhibit low acute toxicity, their transformation during water disinfection can generate iodine-based disinfection by-products (I-DBPs), like iodo-trihalomethanes, which display notable cytotoxic, genotoxic, and ecotoxic effects and compromise drinking water quality. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have become promising methods for breaking down persistent ICMs and limiting the formation of I-DBPs. Techniques including ozonation, UV/H₂O₂, UV/chlorine, photocatalysis with TiO₂, Fenton reactions, and electrochemical oxidation utilize highly reactive radicals to decompose persistent compounds like iopamidol, iohexol, iopromide, and diatrizoate. Despite high degradation efficiencies under laboratory conditions, limitations such as incomplete mineralization, secondary product formation, and elevated operational costs hinder large-scale implementation. Future research should focus on optimizing AOP conditions under realistic water matrices, evaluating by-product toxicity, and developing cost-effective hybrid systems. Advancing these technologies is critical to reducing the environmental burden of ICMs and safeguarding aquatic ecosystems and public health.

Wheat flour and durum semolina were enriched with powders from four medicinal mushrooms during dough mixing. Wheat flour and durum semolina were substituted with chaga, Cordyceps sinensis , reishi and lion’s mane powders at 3%, 6%, 9% and 12% ( w/w ). Changes in the gluten secondary structure...

Many drug discovery efforts have identified potentially promising molecules; however, a common limitation of these reports is the lack of further experimental confirmation of pharmacokinetic properties and behavioral effects of discovered compounds. In this study, we aim to address this limitation. Therefore, we build on our previous virtual screening campaign by synthesizing, analyzing in silico, and evaluating experimentally the SERAAK1 compound, which was initially identified as a ligand for 5-HT_1A, 5-HT_2A, and D₂ receptors. Through these investigations, we discovered that SERAAK1 binds to the orthosteric pocket of the 5-HT_2A receptor in a similar mechanism to that known for marketed antipsychotic medications. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the SERAAK1 compound remains stable in the orthosteric binding pocket of the 5-HT_2A receptor. The determination of the ADMET parameters indicated the directions for further optimization of the compounds. In vivo studies demonstrated the anxiolytic and antidepressant properties of the SERAAK1 compound.

Epilepsy ranks as the second-most prevalent neurological disease, and is characterized by seizures resulting in neurobiological and behavioral impairment. Naturally occurring in coffee beans or tea leaves, the alkaloid caffeine (CAF) is the most prevalent global stimulant. Caffeine has been observed to influence epileptic seizures and the efficacy of antiepileptic medications, with a notable impact on topiramate (TPM). This study aimed to explore the influence of CAF on TPM’s anticonvulsant effects in zebrafish larvae within a PTZ-induced seizure model, concurrently determining TPM concentrations through a sophisticated analytical approach based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography and subsequent mass spectrometric detection. Zebrafish larvae four days post-fertilization were incubated for 18 h with varying doses of TPM or combinations of CAF + TPM, and locomotor activity was then assessed. Seizures were induced by introducing a PTZ solution to achieve a final concentration of 20 mM. Utilizing liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), TPM levels in the larvae were quantified. CAF co-administration (especially in higher doses) with TPM caused a decrease in the average locomotor activity in the larvae compared to TPM alone. Moreover, CAF decreased TPM levels in the larvae at all investigated doses. In conclusion, these findings offer a novel perspective on the interplay between CAF and TPM, shedding light on previously unexplored facets. The potential impact of CAF consumption in assisting with epileptic seizure control, unless proven otherwise, suggests a noteworthy consideration for future research and clinical practices.

The authenticity of food products marketed as health-promoting foods—especially unrefined, cold-pressed seed oils—should be controlled to ensure their quality and safeguard consumers and patients. Metabolomic profiling using liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC–QTOF) was employed to identify authenticity markers for five types of unrefined, cold-pressed seed oils: black seed oil (Nigella sativa L.), pumpkin seed oil (Cucurbita pepo L.), evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis L.), hemp oil (Cannabis sativa L.) and milk thistle oil (Silybum marianum). Of the 36 oil-specific markers detected, 10 were established for black seed oil, 8 for evening primrose seed oil, 7 for hemp seed oil, 4 for milk thistle seed oil and 7 for pumpkin seed oil. In addition, the influence of matrix variability on the oil-specific metabolic markers was examined by studying binary oil mixtures containing varying volume percentages of each tested oil and each of three potential adulterants: sunflower, rapeseed and sesame oil. The presence of oil-specific markers was confirmed in 7 commercial oil mix products. The identified 36 oil-specific metabolic markers proved useful for confirming the authenticity of the five target seed oils. The ability to detect adulterations of these oils with sunflower, rapeseed and sesame oil was demonstrated.

A suitable and balanced diet is a major factor determining human health and should comprise unprocessed food enriched with oilseed products containing bioactive components and fatty acids. This paper reviews the chemical compositions and biomedical functions of plant seed oils extracted from black cumin, evening primrose, hemp, milk thistle, sesame, flax, and pumpkin seeds. The review provides a comprehensive overview of current oil extracting techniques and of the composition and content of bioactive components, including fatty acids, phytosterols, tocopherols, phenols, and carotenoids. Moreover, we describe research findings on the medical applications, benefits and limitations of treatment with plant seed oils for diverse diseases such as mastalgia, premenstrual syndrome, menopause, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and urinary tract and liver disease, as well as their use in dermatology and chemotherapy. The use of plant seed oils as topical agents and their anti-bacterial properties are reviewed, as well as important precautions in their medical applications. The information provided in this review is intended to serve as a compendium for medical professionals in the field of integrative medicine, nutrition, and dietetics, and to help consumers make the best use of plant seed oils in accordance with their medical and health needs. The review is also addressed to food control laboratories, as it provides detailed tabularised data on the components and their contents in the above-mentioned seven plant seed oils. These data are highly useful for the development of new analytical methods for testing the quality and authenticity of oils.

Amino- and polyaminophthalazinones were synthesized by the palladium‐catalyzed amination (alkyl- and arylamines, polyamines) of 4-bromophthalazinones in good yields. The coordinating properties of selected aminophthalazinones towards Cu(II) ions were investigated and the participation of the nitrogen atoms in the complexation of the metal ion was shown. A biological screening of the potential cytotoxicity of selected synthesized compounds on HT-29 and PC-3 cell lines, as well as on the L-929 cell line, proved that some amino derivatives of phthalazinone show interesting anticancer activities. The detailed synthesis, spectroscopic data, and biological assays are reported.

Accumulating experimental studies show that antiarrhythmic and antiepileptic drugs share some molecular mechanisms of action and can interact with each other. In this study, the influence of amiodarone (a class III antiarrhythmic drug) on the antiseizure action of four second-generation antiepileptic drugs was evaluated in the maximal electroshock model in mice. Amiodarone, although ineffective in the electroconvulsive threshold test, significantly potentiated the antielectroshock activity of oxcarbazepine and pregabalin. Amiodarone, given alone or in combination with oxcarbazepine, lamotrigine, or topiramate, significantly disturbed long-term memory in the passive-avoidance task in mice. Brain concentrations of antiepileptic drugs were not affected by amiodarone. However, the brain concentration of amiodarone was significantly elevated by oxcarbazepine, topiramate, and pregabalin. Additionally, oxcarbazepine and pregabalin elevated the brain concentration of desethylamiodarone, the main metabolite of amiodarone. In conclusion, potentially beneficial action of amiodarone in epilepsy patients seems to be limited by neurotoxic effects of amiodarone. Although results of this study should still be confirmed in chronic protocols of treatment, special precautions are recommended in clinical conditions. Coadministration of amiodarone, even at low therapeutic doses, with antiepileptic drugs should be carefully monitored to exclude undesired effects related to accumulation of the antiarrhythmic drug and its main metabolite, desethylamiodarone.